Contact Us

Questions

Animal Subjects
IACUC	Anthony Yonkura	614-292-4494
Biosafety
IBC	Kara Batte	614-292-1159
CITI
CITI Training	Ellen Patricia	614-688-5556
Human Subjects
Compliance	Ellen Patricia	614-688-5556
Data/Specimen Banking	Sandra Meadows	614-688-8641
Exempt Research	Jake Stoddard	614-292-0526
Expedited Personnel Changes	Meliha Rahmani	614-292-9625
FDA	Paul Montesanti	614-292-9804
Regulatory Questions	Sandra Meadows	614-688-8641
Reliance & Individual Investigator Agreements	Jessica Mayercin-Johnson	614-688-1059
Research Related Concerns	Sandra Meadows	614-688-8641 800-678-6251
Human Subjects Mailboxes
Behavioral & Social Sciences IRB	General Questions
Biomedical Sciences IRB	Exempt Research
Cancer IRB	Grant Congruency
Western IRB	HS Research Determinations
Human Subjects Submission Status
During screening:	After ‘completeness verified’:
Email or call the Protocol Analyst who provided screening comments.	Email the IRB specific or exempt mailbox.

Main ORRP Telephone

614-688-8457
Choose one of the following menu options:
1 – CITI Training (Human & Animal Subjects)	4 – Exempt Human Subjects Research
2 – Reliance and Individual Investigator Agreements	5 – Buck-IRB
3 – Animal Research or Biosafety	6 – IRB Regulatory Assistance

Other Helpful Contacts Outside ORRP

Technical Issues – Buck-IRB or eProtocol	orhelpdesk@osu.edu	614-688-8288 Option #5
Conflict of Interest (COI)	conflictinfo@osu.edu	614-292-4284
Technology Commercialization Office	innovation@osu.edu	614-292-1315
Online Risk Assessment Tool	ehs@osu.edu

ORRP Staff Directory

Please select a category to filter staff by expertise.

Kara Batte

IRB Protocol Analyst II Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical, IRB – Cancer, IBC Phone: 614-292-1159 e-mail: batte.4@osu.edu

Kara Batte assists researchers with their submissions and supports the operations of the Institutional Biosafety Committee as well as the Cancer and Biomedical Sciences Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining ORRP, Kara served as a laboratory manager in the Division of Surgical Oncology. She also previously worked as a Research Assistant in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. Kara received her Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University and her Master of Science degree from Ohio State, both in microbiology.

Melinda Bruns

Quality Improvement Specialist Office of Responsible Research PracticesIACUC, Quality Improvement Program – Animal Subjects Phone: 614-292-8621 e-mail: bruns.159@osu.edu

Melinda Bruns, Certified Professional IACUC Administrator (CPIA), who serves as a Quality Improvement Specialist and is a liaison between the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR), and Ohio State research community to promote ethical research practices and ensure protocol performance. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, Melinda had developed and led the Post Approval Monitoring (PAM) program at the University of Cincinnati. She is also a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) by the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board, a Registered Laboratory Animal Technologist (RLATG) by the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science, and earned her Bachelors of Biological Sciences from University of Cincinnati. Her diverse background in animal care, both clinical and research experience, allows her to identify educational needs, assist investigators, and foster a positive environment to achieve compliance with regulations, guidelines, and accreditation requirements at Ohio State.

Matthew Carter

IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer Phone: 614-247-4736 e-mail: carter.1005@osu.edu

Matthew Carter assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, he served as a regulatory compliance officer in the Clinical Trials Management Office at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Matthew earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Science from University of Maryland University College.

Tish Denlinger

Associate Director for IRB Operations & Staff Development Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer Phone: 614-688-3330 e-mail: denlinger.33@osu.edu

Tish Denlinger, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), manages the daily activities and staff that support the university’s Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). She ensures operational compliance with all Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) policies, federal regulations, state laws, and university policies. Additionally, she oversees staff training and development, manages convened Board processes and performance, monitors review timelines, and manages screening, reviewing, and processing functions. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, she served as a regulatory compliance officer for The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Anthony Dent

IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer Phone: 614-292-4502 e-mail: dent.56@osu.edu

Anthony Dent assists investigators with their submissions and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences Institutional Review Board. Prior to joining ORRP, Anthony served as a Research Associate in the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the College of Medicine, Research Assistant in the College of Nursing, and was a Staff Sargent in the United States Air Force. Anthony received his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from The Ohio State University.

Michael Donovan

Senior IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research PracticesBuck-IRB, IRB – Behavioral & Social Sciences Phone: 614-292-6950 e-mail: donovan.6@osu.edu

Michael Donovan, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Institutional Review Board. He also serves as the Buck-IRB Liaison. Michael earned his Bachelors of Arts in Mathematics and his Masters of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University.

Laura Flora

IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical, IRB – Cancer Phone: 614-688-1196 e-mail: flora.59@osu.edu

Laura Flora assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, she worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator with the Clinical Trials Office at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Ohio State; focusing on breast cancer clinical trials. Laura earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Wright State University.

Andrew Hedrick

Senior IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research Practices Phone: 614-688-2626 e-mail: hedrick.135@osu.edu

Andrew Hedrick, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and primarily supports the operations of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Institutional Review Board. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, he was an IRB administrator with the Office of Research Integrity at the University of Kentucky. Andrew earned a Bachelor of Science degree in telecommunications and a Master of Public Administration degree, both from the University of Kentucky.

Sarah Hersch

Senior IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer, IRB – Reliance Submissions/Agreements, IRB – WIRB Phone: 614-688-1253 e-mail: hersch.5@osu.edu

Sarah Hersch, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, she served as a research coordinator at the Ohio State University Nisonger Center and as the Research Compliance Manager of the IRB at Teachers College, Columbia University. Sarah earned her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and her Master of Arts in Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Nicola Hettler

IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer Phone: 614-292-4265 e-mail: hettler.6@osu.edu

Nicola Hettler assists researchers with their submissions and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences Institutional Review Board. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, she served as a Program Manager and Principal Research Scientist at Battelle. Nicola is a certified Project Management Professional and earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Ohio University.

Melanie Howell

IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research Practices Phone: 614-247-7958 e-mail: howell.448@osu.edu

Melanie Howell assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, she served as an Administrative Assistant supporting the Ohio State Director of Advanced Practice and Advanced Practice managers. Melanie earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from Ohio Dominican College.

Justin Lahmers

Quality Improvement Specialist Office of Responsible Research PracticesIACUC, Quality Improvement Program – Animal Subjects Phone: 614-292-0409 e-mail: lahmers.6@osu.edu

Justin Lahmers, a Certified Professional IACUC Administrator (CPIA), serves as a Quality Improvement Specialist and is a liaison between the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR), and the Ohio State research community to promote ethical research practices and ensure protocol performance. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, Justin was the Staff Training and Development Specialist in OSU’s University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR), where he developed and implemented the animal husbandry staff training program. Justin’s other professional experiences include working in the OSU Department of Animal Sciences as Beef Cattle Extension Associate and prior to that being the Herdsman at the Beef Center on the Columbus Campus. Justin earned his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree with a double major in Animal Sciences and Agribusiness from The Ohio State University and is a Registered Laboratory Animal Technologist (RLATG) by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.

Ryan Liersemann

IRB Protocol Analyst II Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Behavioral & Social Sciences Phone: 614-292-0243 e-mail: liersemann.1@osu.edu

Ryan Liersemann assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Institutional Review Board. Previously, Ryan supported the operations of the Cancer Institutional Review Board. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, he served as a regulatory compliance officer in The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Jessica Mayercin-Johnson

Program Manager-for Reliance Agreements & Regulatory Support. Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer, IRB – Reliance Submissions/Agreements, IRB – WIRB Phone: 614-688-1059 e-mail: mayercin-johnson.1@osu.edu

Jessica Mayercin-Johnson, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and is responsible for the implementation of local and national collaborative human subjects research agreements for non-exempt Ohio State research. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, she served as an assistant registrar at the Ohio History Connection. Jessica earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from The Ohio State University and her Master of Arts in History Museum Studies from The Cooperstown Graduate Program.

Sandra Meadows

Program Manager – Educational Programming and Regulatory Support Office of Responsible Research PracticesEduacation & Training, Quality Improvement Program – Human Subjects Phone: 614-688-8641 e-mail: meadows.8@osu.edu

Sandra Meadows, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), supports quality improvement activities related to regulations and educational programming/training for the human research. Previously Sandra served as the administrative manager for the Biomedical Sciences IRB. Before joining the ORRP staff, she coordinated obstetrical research for the NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network at The Ohio State University. Sandra earned her Bachelors of Science in Biology from Morehead State University and her Masters of Public Health from The Ohio State University.

Paul Montesanti

Senior IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer Phone: 614-292-9804 e-mail: montesanti.2@osu.edu

Paul Montesanti, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, he served as a research assistant at Ohio State University Sports Medicine. Paul earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from the Ohio State University.

Helen O’Meara

Associate Director, IACUC and IBC Office of Responsible Research PracticesAdministration, IACUC, IBC Phone: 614-292-0830 e-mail: omeara.15@osu.edu

Helen O’Meara, Certified Professional IACUC Administrator (CPIA), provides leadership for the staff team supporting the Institutional Animal Care and Use (IACUC) and the Institutional Biosafety Committees. Helen previously served as the IACUC Quality Improvement Specialist. Prior to her Ohio State employment, Helen worked in commercial animal research laboratories directing toxicology studies. Helen received her Masters of Science in Environmental Health Science from Case Western Reserve University and has also been certified as a Laboratory Animal Technologist by the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science.

Erin Odor

Quality Improvement Specialist – Regulatory, Education, and Policy Analysis Office of Responsible Research PracticesEducation & Training, Quality Improvement Program – Human Subjects Phone: 614-688-1332 e-mail: odor.3@osu.edu

Erin Odor, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), supports quality improvement activities related to accreditation, policy/guidance development and maintenance, and education and outreach. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, she served as a program coordinator in The Ohio State University Undergraduate Fellowship Office. Erin earned a Bachelor of Arts in comparative cultural studies, a Bachelor of Arts in Classics, and a Master of Arts in East Asian studies at The Ohio State University.

Ellen Patricia

Assistant Director, IRB Quality Improvement Office of Responsible Research PracticesAdministration, Quality Improvement Program – Human Subjects Phone: 614-688-5556 e-mail: patricia.1@osu.edu

Ellen Patricia, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), provides leadership to the staff supporting the quality improvement activities in the university’s Human Research Protections Program. Ellen directs the post approval monitoring program that educates research teams on Ohio State University human research protection program policies and best practices. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, Ellen was the Director of Protocol Compliance at the James Cancer Hospital and in the remote past was employed by Pharmacia and Upjohn as a medical research associate. Ellen earned her Masters of Science in Human Physiology from The Ohio State University.

Dahlia Perez

IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research Practices Phone: 614-247-8025 e-mail: perez.489@osu.edu

Dahlia Perez assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, she served as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Wexner Medical Center. Dahlia earned a Bachelor of Science in Health and Rehabilitation from The Ohio State University.

Jerry Phalan

IRB Protocol Analyst Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer Phone: 614-688-7920 e-mail: phalan.1@osu.edu

Jerry Phalan assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, he served as a clinical research coordinator at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Meliha Rahmani

Quality Improvement Specialist – IRB Review and Regulatory Support Office of Responsible Research PracticesExpedited Personnel Changes, Quality Improvement Program – Human Subjects Phone: 614-292-9625 e-mail: rahmani.3@osu.edu

Meliha Rahmani, a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) and Certified IRB Professional (CIP), supports quality improvement activities related to regulations and amendment review for the human subjects protections program. Previously, Meliha served as a regulatory manager in the College of Medicine Office of Research specializing in regulatory compliance. She has extensive experience in conducting quality and HIPAA audits, educational outreach, clinical trial coordination, protocol development and implementation, and clinical research regulations. Meliha earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Loyola University New Orleans and her Master of Public Health specializing in epidemiology from The Ohio State University.

Aaron Seddon

IRB Protocol Analyst II Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer Phone: 614-688-2208 e-mail: seddon.6@osu.edu

Aaron Seddon, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, he served as a writing and literature instructor at both The Ohio State University and Franklin University. Aaron earned a BA in English from the State University of New York College at Potsdam and an MA in English from The Ohio State University.

Jake Stoddard

Associate Director for IRB Operations & Data Analytics Office of Responsible Research PracticesExempt Research, IRB – Behavioral & Social Sciences, IRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer, Privacy Board Phone: 614-292-0526 e-mail: stoddard.13@osu.edu

Jake Stoddard, a Certified IRB Professional (CIP), manages the daily activities and staff that support the university’s Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). He ensures operational compliance with all Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) policies, federal regulations, state laws, and university policies. Additionally, he generates data analytics on the research enterprise, completes strategic analysis, monitors review timelines, and manages screening, reviewing, and processing functions. Jake earned his Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy from The Ohio State University.

Kirsten Thomas

IRB Protocol Analyst II Office of Responsible Research PracticesIRB – Biomedical Sciences, IRB – Cancer Phone: 614-688-1070 e-mail: thomas.404@osu.edu

Kirsten Thomas assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Institutional Review Boards. Prior to joining the Office of Responsible Research Practices, she worked as a Graduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy at OSU. Kirsten earned a Bachelor of Science in English Education and her Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University.

Anthony Yonkura

Senior IACUC/IBC Analyst Office of Responsible Research PracticesIACUC, IBC Phone: 614-292-4494 e-mail: yonkura.1@osu.edu

Anthony Yonkura, a Certified Professional IACUC Administrator (CPIA), assists researchers with their submissions, participates in educational outreach efforts, and supports the operations of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Anthony received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Baldwin-Wallace College.